Kite reel



H. A. WILSON 3,289,968

KITE REEL Dec. 6, 1966 Dec. 6, 1966 H. A. WILSON 3,289,968

KITE REEL Filed Oct. '7. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HENW ALLEN \JJ\LSONUnited States Patent 3223368 KHTE REEL Henry Allen Wilson, 1000 EldoradoAve., Clearwater Beach, Fla. Filed Oct. '7. 1965, Ser. No. 498,290 13Claims. (Cl. 242%) This application is a continuation-in-part of myapplication filed June 16, 1964, Serial No. 375,462, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a hand carried and operated transparentplastic reel and more particularly to such a reel adapted for use in theflying of kites.

The loads involved in the flying of kites are relatively light but themanipulation of the reel to apply the proper tension tothe kite linetherefrom requires dexterity.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a reel which canbe readily carried about in one hand and manipulated at will by thathand to guide and brake the connected line of a kite in flight, torelease and/ or apply the proper tension to such line from the reel atall times and, without interferring with the proper movements of theperson controlling the kite in doing so.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a reel which willpermit the line thereon to pay out under the control of an operator onlyas desired without increase of tension due to the friction of the reel.

It is an important and further object of the invention however, toprovide in a single hand carried reel having combined aligned lineguiding and braking means whereby to secure all parts thereof positivelyso as to control the tension and paying out of the line according to thewillv of the operator, or substantially aligned as indicated in dottedlines.

A still further object of this invention relates to a hand held andmanipulated kite flying reel in which the antifriction elements thereofare constructed and arranged to produce a succession of sounds uponnormal operation thereof.

Another object of my invention has to do with color changing anddisplaying aspects of the transparent plastic kite flying reel duringoperation thereof.

These and other objects of the invention will be manifest upon a readingof the following description in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the reel of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1, showing the alignedrelationship of the hand supporting means, the spool braking means andthe line tensioning and guiding means;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the brake applied forpreventing relative rotation of the spool and/ or required tensioning ofthe line, as indicated in dotted lines;

PEG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but illustrating a vertical sectionthrough a modified form of the reel showit? the desired circumferentialspacing of regular marble bearing members therein which allows freegravity travel of successive marbles during operation as shown; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse section through the reel taken on the line 55 ofFIG. 4.

Now with reference to the drawings, there is shown an inner annularchanneled support 2 having mounted and laterally retained thereon achannel ring or spool 4 by ICC means of relatively large antifrictionballs 6, hereinafter described.

The support 2 comprises a cylindrical body 8 having at each side thereofannular radially projecting spaced flanges 1t and 12 definingtherebetween a ball supporting channel 9 which provides generally squareU-shaped channel in cross-section. A tubular hand gripping handle member13 is positioned along a diameter within and secured integrally at bothends thereof to the inner annular wall of the cylindrical body 8 toserve as a positive radially extending body means for manipulating thekite spool in use.

The spool 4 comprises a similar short cylinder body 14 having at eachside thereof inwardly and outwardly extending annular flanges 16 and 18respectively which define therebetween oppositely facing annularchannels 20, 22 from the intermediately disposed cylindrical body 14.Each said channel is also of generally square U-shape in cross sectionwith the inner annular channel 22 being inverted and facing the channel9 but slightly spaced therefrom. A finger grasping crank 23 is securedto one side of the annular outer flange 18 for rotating the spool 4. Theantifriction balls 6 which as shown may be ordinary glass or chinamarbles, are mounted within the oppositely facing channels 9 and 22 tofreely mount the spool 4 for antifriction rotation on the channeledcylindrical support 2 and to key both spool and support against axialseparation. As shown the inner and outer channeled spool and supportingbody members are preferably made of a transparent readily moldableplastic material.

In combination with the foregoing, an L-shaped combined line guide andbraking member 24, also of said plastic material, is shown secured to ormade integral with the annular flange it} of the support. Said L-shapedmember 24 is shown shaped to normally remain spaced from the fiat sideface 16 of the flange as indicated at 26 in FIG. 2 and has its outer legor end 28 turned or angled to overlay the outer open channel of thenormally freely rotatable spool 4 and is provided with a line guidingaperture 30 for freely feeding and guiding a line indicated at 29 bydotted lines in FIG. 3, as it is wound and unwound from the storagechannel 20 of the spool 4 and for tensioning said line.

In use when flying a kite the hand grip or handle 13 is adapted to begrasped by the four fingers of one hand and will thus position the thumbover the aligned member 24. By applying lateral pressure with the thumbthe inner side of the member 24 may be flexed against the adjacentrelatively wide and flat face of flange 16 to apply a braking force tothe spool which may thus be readily varied as required to stop the spooland/or tension the kite line wound thereon as indicated at 29 in dottedlines in FIG. 3. The inherent tendency of the member 24 to assume theposition spaced from the flange releases the braking force. The line onthe spool is passed through the guide opening 39 through which it can bereleased or tensioned by regulating the thumb holding pressure on thebrake and when desired the line may be returned to the spool byreversely rotating the crank 23.

As stated above, I prefer to make the reel of a moldable plasticmaterial such as Lucite which allows for simple and economicalmanufacture and assembly by molding and/or bonding or parts as required.This will readily allow for the glass 'balls to be assembled in thepositions shown while one of the flanges remains unassembled or they maybe added to or removed from such po- The groove 27 insures properflexing.

sitions by removal of a plug. In such an event the final step of theassembly consists merely in bonding the last flange or other part to theproper cylindrical body as the case may be.

While the generally L-shaped combined brake and line guide member 24 isshown in the full line position in substantial axial alignment with thehand grip or handle 13, for normal convenient and intended linecontrollable pressure by the thumb of the hand grasping said handle, itis, of course, understood that the precise positioning of the member 24may be altered slightly, for such purpose, as indicated by dotted linein FIG. 1, within the spirit of the invention and requirements of anoperator.

Now with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing, '1 have shown aslightly modified form of the invention in which the spool 4a is keyedto the inner annular channel support 2a by means of an incompletecircumferential series of relatively large antifriction glass balls 6.These balls may be ordinary colored or transparent marbles which areusually made of glass or similar hard and highly polished sphericalbodies in bright or varigated colors. The primary diiference herehowever is that a substantial annular space is left in the antifrictionball race, i.e., between the touching or substantially touching annularseries of glass balls 6a. Further it has been found that thisintervening space shown in FIG. 4 between balls 6b and 6d should notmaterially exceed one quarter of the circumference of this raceway. Inthis arrangement and manner the spool 4a is at all times firmly held andantifrictionally keyed and held concentrically on the inner annularchanneled support.

By the construction and arrangement of parts just described, theuppermost glass 'balls 6b in the raceway are caused to progressivelycascade under the action of gravity and operation of the spool 4a orboth, and fall through the annular space just described see ball 6c6dand shown at click in the drawing, and forcibly strike the last of theseries of antifrictional balls toward the bottom of the raceway. Asuccessive series of relatively loud and distinct cracking-like soundsare thus produced -as one glass ball forcibly strikes upon another inthe race as the spool is rotated in either direction, all as indicatedin FIG. 4.

It will be noted that the operation just described may be continuedindefinitely and the spool remain concentrically centered by the ballson the channeled hand held sup-port by the touching series of balls ofthe raceway extending substantially 180 of the circumference of theraceway.

With this combination and arrangement of parts as described the kiteflying and controlling reel is also an attractive sound producing devicewhich character of sounds adds materially to its used during control ofa kite in flight. Such a sound producing means is also operative as asignalling means at times of paying out or on winding in of a kit line.

It will also be important to note that a further function and advantageobtained by the use of more or less ordinary marbles in the constructionand operation of my kite reel, as described, is that said marbles arereadily obtainable and in various colors and combinations of colors andare highly polished, hard and truly spherical. Hence, such marbles notonly serve the function of much more expensive balls but add materiallyto the aesthetic appearance of the reel in use, particularly when allparts thereof are constructed of transparent material.

It will also be observed in the normal use of my improved reel for theflying of a kite that the perfect control is obtained primarily from thecombination and arrangement of the centrally disposed cylindrical handle13a which is secured to the circumferentially channeled support 2a alonga diameter thereof and the combined line guide and spool brake 24a, allof which may be integral as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, which is importantin controlling the annular flat surfaced flange 16a.

From these showings it will be noted that the line guide member andbrake 24a is positioned for use with the right hand and thumb of anoperator wherein this thumb deflectable portion of the hand held supportmay provide the combined means for the control of a kite during flying.

During the operation and kite control just described the spool is thusbound rigidly and non-rotatively to the support by the brake means andthe line guide moved therewith as a unit as required from the normalvertical position of FIG. 4 to the more or less horizontal position ofFIG. 5.

During this operation in the flying of a kit the central tubular handle13a which may also be formed of transparent material and partiallyfilled with colored glass or ceramic marbles 6e as shown in FIGS. 4 and5, is moved correspondingly causing the marbles therein to strike oneach other and produce sounds, which sounds may be the same or differentfrom that of the antifriction balls of the spool.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completelysatisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects and while Ihave shown and described a preferred embodiment, I wish it to bespecifically understood that the same is capable of modification withoutdeparture from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a kite flying reel and noise making device comprising a pair ofconcentric members, facing channels in said members defining acircumferential space therebetween, and a plurality of roller elementsfreely mounted in and incompletely filling the circumferential extent ofsaid space by at least the diameter of several rollers for producingsuccessive noise making function on rotation of said members.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the annular series of rollerelements may extend in contact over around said circumferential space toinsure proper continuous concentric support and drive of the members.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein the rollers are made ofcolored ceramic material.

4. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein the rollers are glass balls.

5. A kite reel and noise producing device comprising an annular sup-porthaving a channel in the periphery thereof, a spool mounted and supportedconcentrically with said support and having inner and outer oppositelyfacing channels therein, said inner channel facing the first mentionedchannel and forming therewith an annular space, and a plurality ofroller elements freely mounted in and incompletely filling thecircumferential extend of said space by at least the diameter of severalrollers when in a contacting row therein.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein the roller elements extendover substantially 180 around said space When in a contacting rowtherein.

7. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein the rollers are made of glass.

8. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein the rollers are colored glassballs.

9. A device as defined in claim 8 and spool are of a synthetic plastic.

10. A devcie as defined in claim 5 further including a hollow handmember secured to the support along a diameter thereof.

11. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein a plurality of marbles aresupported in said hollow handle for relative movement therewithin.

12. A kite flying reel comprising a hand held support and a spoolconcentrically disposed on said support, facing channel walls on saidsupport and spool defining a circumferential raceway therebetween,spaced annular flange walls disposed at each side of said channels towherein the support define a U-shaped raceway, and an annular series ofReferences Cited by the Examiner marbles of a diameter substantiallyequal to the width UNITED STATES PATENTS of the spool contacting thewalls of said raceway be- 2 250 281 7/1941 Sundstrand 242-96 when fe lfd gts and y a sald P 5 2,587,432 2/1952 Bellah 242 96 Omen ma Y SalSUPP) 3,006,574 10/1961 Hardy 242-99 X 13. In a device as covered inclaim 12 and a deflectable braking member projecting radially from saidsupport FRANK COHEN, Primary Examineralong one side of a flange of saidspool for controlling STANLEY N. GILREA'I'I-I, Examiner. the relativerotation of said spool and support. 10 MINTZ, Assistant Examiner

1. IN A KITE FLYING REEL AND NOISE MAKING DEVICE COMPRISING A PAIR OFCONCENTRIC MEMBERS, FACING CHANNELS IN SAID MEMBERS DEFINING ACIRCUMFERENTIAL SPACE THEREBETWEEN, AND A PLURALITY OF ROLLER ELEMENTSFREELY MOUNTED IN AND INCOMPLETELY FILLING THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL EXTENT OFSAID SPACE BY AT LEAST THE DIAMETER OF SEVERAL ROLLERS FOR PRODUCINGSUCCESSIVE NOISE MAKING FUNCTION ON ROTATION OF SAID MEMBERS.